EP3494840A1

EP3494840A1 - Side rail and bed equipped with it

Info

Publication number: EP3494840A1
Application number: EP18209153.8A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Patrick August E. JESPERS; Tom Mathieu J. STAUT
Original assignee: Vermeiren Group NV
Current assignee: Vermeiren Group NV
Priority date: 2017-12-05
Filing date: 2018-11-29
Publication date: 2019-06-12
Anticipated expiration: 2038-11-29
Also published as: ES2863560T3; BE1025759A1; EP3494840B1; BE1025759B1; PL3494840T3

Abstract

Side rail for a bed (1) characterised in that the side rail (7) comprises two arms (9) for the rotatable attachment of the side rail (7) to the bed (1), said arms (9) being provided to this end with a rotation point (10) on one end, whereby the arms (9) are connected to each other by at least two telescopic rods (11a, 11b, 11c) which are connected to said arms (9) by means of hinges (12a, 12b, 12c), such that the arms (9) are rotatable between at least a raised use position, whereby the side rail (7) is in use, and a collapsed storage position, whereby the side rail (7) is collapsed, whereby the arms (9) together with their rotation point (10) are movable relative to each other and whereby the side rail (1) in at least two positions of the arms (9) is rotatable between at least the raised use position and the collapsed storage position.

Description

The present invention relates to a side rail for a bed.
Such side rail or bed rail is used by mounting it on the level of the sides of a bed, such that a person lying in the bed cannot unintentionally roll or fall out of the bed.
Such side rail or bed rail can be applied in hospitals, rest and nursing homes and the like.
But also in a domestic environment, when a sick or elderly person still lives at home, such a side rail or bed rail can be used to make sure that the person does not hurt himself/herself at night when he/she unintentionally were to roll or fall out of the bed.
Such side rails are already known, whereby often they are foldable or collapsible from the upright position whereby the side rail is in use, to a folded position whereby the side rail ends up in a compact condition next to the bed.
In this folded position it will be possible to put a person in bed or to nurse, wash, feed a person in bed or help that person get out of bed, etc.
To go from the folded position to the upright position and vice versa, often a button or lever needs to be manipulated with one hand while folding or collapsing the side rail with the other hand.
A disadvantage is that each time different actions need to be carried out every time requiring the use of both hands.
So-called extendable side rails are also known, whereby the side rail can be made longer or shorter by extending or retracting it.
Consequently, the side rail can be changed from a bed rail, in the long, extended position, to an aid to get out of bed in the short, retracted position.
The aid will help less mobile people to get in and out of bed.
DE 10 2014 115 552 discloses a side rail, which is both collapsible and telescopic.
A disadvantage of this side rail is that it is only collapsible in the retracted position.
The purpose of the present invention is to provide a solution to at least one of the aforementioned and other disadvantages.
The object of the present invention is a side rail for a bed characterised in that the side rail comprises two arms for the rotatable attachment of the side rail to the bed, said arms being provided to this end with a rotation point on one end, whereby the arms are connected to each other by at least two telescopic rods which are hinged to said arms, such that the arms are rotatable between at least a raised use position, whereby the side rail is in use and a collapsed storage position, whereby the side rail is folded, whereby the arms together with their rotation point are movable relative to each other and whereby the side rail in at least two positions of the arms is rotatable between at least the raised use position and the collapsed storage position.
When the side rail is collapsed in the storage position, the telescopic rods will be located against each other or at a small distance from each other. When the side rail is raised in the use position, the telescopic rods are located at a distance from each other.
This provides the advantage that such side rail in both the retracted condition of the telescopic rods and in the extended condition of the telescopic rods can be raised and collapsed.
This means that the side rail has at least four possible positions: a storage position and a use position whereby the telescopic rods are extended and a storage position and a use position whereby the telescopic rods are retracted.
Consequently, the side rail, on the one hand when used as a bed rail and on the other hand when used as an aid to get out of bed can be collapsed.
Of course, the invention does not rule out that the side rail can be raised and collapsed in additional positions, for example in an intermediate position of the telescopic rods, i.e. where the rods are not fully extended but, for example, only half.
Preferably the side rail itself or the bed is provided with a cover plate, which together with a sideboard or side of the bed delimits a space between which the side rail in the collapsed storage position of the arms is at least partially hidden.
This has the advantage that in the storage position the side rail is invisible or as good as invisible. It will therefore not be experienced as visually disruptive. Particularly in a more domestic environment this may be desirable.
Preferably the side rail is provided with a locking means to at least lock the side rail in the use position.
The advantage is that the side rail cannot unintentionally be moved from the use position to the storage position, for example when leaning on the side rail.
In a practical embodiment the telescopic rods comprise two or more telescopic sections, whereby the hinges of said telescopic rod are mounted on two of the telescopic sections, whereby the locking means are formed by mounting at least one aforementioned hinge of at least one aforementioned telescopic section to a rotation element which is mounted rotatably on an arm, such that said telescopic section is hinged rotatably around the longitudinal axis of the telescopic rod.
This has the advantage that said telescopic section can be rotated to turn the rotation element in the desired position using one hand.
By rotating said hinge in this way such that the hinge axis is parallel with the rotation axis of the rotation points and the hinge axes of the other hinges, the side rail will be collapsible to the storage position. By rotating said hinge in this way such that the hinge axis is not parallel with the rotation axis of the rotation points, the side rail will be locked as it were in the use position.
As one hand is already on a telescopic rod, the downward movement of the side rail can be set in motion immediately after rotating the telescopic rod, without having to change one's grip or moving one's hand. The other hand is not needed in this.
Raising the side rail to the use position and locking it in this position will also be possible in one smooth movement by holding the telescopic rod and raising the side rail and subsequently rotating the telescopic rod around its longitudinal axis such that the hinge axis is no longer aligned relative to the rotation axis.
The invention also relates to a bed characterised in that the bed is provided with at least one side rail according to the invention.
It goes without saying that a bed according to the invention has the same aforementioned advantages.
With the intention of better showing the characteristics of the invention, a few preferred embodiments of a side rail according to the invention and a bed equipped with it are described hereinafter by way of an example, without any limiting nature, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

figure 1 schematically shows a perspective view of a bed according to the invention;
figure 2 schematically shows a perspective view of the bed of figure 1, but with the side rails in another position;
figure 3 schematically shows a side rail according to the invention;
figure 4 shows the detail which is indicated with F4 in figure 3;
figures 5 to 8 schematically show the consecutive steps for collapsing the side rail in figure 3;
figures 9 to 12 show corresponding figures of the side rail of figures 3 to 8 in retracted condition;
figure 13 to 16 show two alternative embodiments of the side rail of figure 3.

The bed 1 according to the invention shown in figure 1 comprises a frame 2 with a mattress base 3 which in this case is electrically adjustable, and a headboard 4 and footboard 5.
In this case, but not necessarily for the invention, the bed 1 is provided with a holder 6 with a remote control to adjust the mattress base 3.
The bed 1 is also provided with two side rails 7, one on each side 8 of the bed 1.
As shown in figure 1, one side rail 7 extends pretty much over the entire length L of the bed 1, while the other side rail 7 only extends on the level of the headboard 4 of the bed 1.
Both side rails 7 are in a raised use position.
Figure 2 shows the same bed 1, whereby the two side rails 7 are in a collapsed storage position.
As shown in this figure, the sideboard 8 of the bed 1 will at least partially hide the side rail 7 in the collapsed storage position.
Figure 3 shows a more detailed view of a side rail 7 according to the invention in the use position.
The side rail 7 comprises two arms 9 with which the side rail 7 can be rotatably mounted to the bed 1.
To this end the arms 9 are provided with a rotation point 10 on one end 9a.
The arms 9 are connected to each other by at least two telescopic rods 11a, 11b, 11c. In this case there are three telescopic rods 11a, 11b, 11c which extend in a parallel way relative to each other.
The telescopic rods 11a, 11b, 11c are connected to said arms 9 by means of hinges 12a, 12b, 12c, whereby in this case for every arm 9 the rotation point 10 and associated hinges 12a, 12b, 12c are located on one geometric connecting line 13.
The respective connecting lines 13 extend parallel to each other.
The aforementioned geometric lines 13 are the consequence of the fact that the rotation point 10 of one arm 9 is on one line with the hinges 12a, 12b, 12c of the same arm 9, such that the two rotation points 10 and the two hinge points 12a, 12b, 12c of a telescopic rod 11a, 11b, 11c lie on the corner points of a parallelogram.
Consequently, the rotation points 10 and the hinges 12a, 12b, 12c define a parallelogram, causing the arms 9 to be rotatable between at least the raised use position as shown in figure 1 and the collapsed storage position of figure 2.
The top telescopic rod 11a is provided with a handle 14.
In this case, the telescopic rods 11a, 11b, 11c are realised with two telescopic sections 15. However, it is not excluded that the telescopic rods 11a, 11b, 11c comprise more than two telescopic sections 15.
The telescopic sections 15 fit slidably in each other, whereby one end of one telescopic section 15 fits in an end of the other telescopic section 15.
By retracting and extending the telescopic sections 15, the length of the telescopic rods 11a, 11b, 11c can be adjusted.
The two free ends 16 of the telescopic sections 15 are provided with the aforementioned hinges 12a, 12b, 12c to be able to hinge the telescopic rods 11a, 11b, 11c to the arms 9.
In this case the arms 9, together with their rotation point 10 will be movable relative to each other by the telescopic retracting and extending of the telescopic rods 11a, 11b, 11c,
This is shown schematically in figure 3 with the arrow P, whereby in this case one rotation point 10 is fixed and the other rotation point 10 is movable relative to the fixed rotation point 10.
As shown, the movable rotation point 10 is slidable in a guide 17 in this case, whereby the guide 17 runs parallel with the telescopic rods 11a, 11b, 11c.
Despite the fact that in this case the guide 17 is a separate component that is provided with attachment means to attach the guide 17 to the bed 1, it is not excluded that the guide 17 is part of or integrated in the bed 1.
In principle, the same applies to the rotation points 10, which can be integrated in the bed 1 or provided on an attachment element that can be mounted on the bed 1.
In this case, but not necessarily for the invention, the side rail 7 is provided with locking means 18 to lock the side rail 7 at least in the use position.
In the example of figure 3 the locking means 18 are formed by mounting at least one aforementioned hinge 12b of at least one aforementioned telescopic section 11b on a rotation element 19.
The rotation element 19 is shown in detail in figure 4 and is mounted rotatably on an arm 9 such that along its hinge 12b said telescopic section 15 is rotatable around the longitudinal axis 20 of the telescopic rod 11b.
By rotating the hinge 12b out of line with the other hinges 12a, 12c, rotation of the arms 9 will be prevented. In other words, the side rail 7 will be locked.
In particular and preferably, the telescopic section 15 with its hinge 12b is rotatable between a free position, whereby the hinge axis 21 of said hinge 12b is parallel with the rotation axis 22 of the rotation points 10 such that in this free position the side rail 7 can be raised, and collapsed and a locked position whereby the hinge axis 21 is turned away from this free position. This is shown in figure 4.
Although in the example shown the rotation element 19 and therefore the associated hinge 12b are rotated more than 90°, this is not necessary for the invention. A rotation of for example only 45° would also be possible.
In this case, but not necessarily, both hinges 12b of a telescopic rod 11b are mounted on a rotation element 19.
As in this case, the rods 11a, 11b, 11c do not have a round cross-section, but a rectangular cross-section, as shown in figures 1 and 2, the result will be that by rotating one telescopic section 15, the other telescopic section 15 will automatically rotate along.
This means that both hinges 12b can be rotated at the same time.
If only one hinge 12b of the telescopic rod 11b is mounted on a rotation element 19, the telescopic rods 11b preferably have a round cross-section, such that a rotation of the telescopic section 15, which is provided with the rotation element 19, around the axis 20 of the telescopic rod 12b relative to the other telescopic section 15 is indeed possible.
Although in the example shown the middle of the three telescopic rods 11a, 11b, 11c is provided with rotation elements 19, the invention is not limited to this of course.
Alternatively or additionally, the bottom 11c or top telescopic rod 11a can also be provided with one or two rotation elements 19.
The operation of the device 1 is very simple and is shown in figures 5 to 12.
Figure 3 shows the side rail 7 in extended use position, whereby the side rail 7 serves as a bed rail.
The telescopic rod 11b with rotation element 19 is hereby rotated in the locked position.
The side rail 7 is provided with means 23 to hold the telescopic section 15 with its hinge 12b in the locked position, which in this case is formed by a spring 24 between the rotation element 19 and the arm 9.
This spring 24 will make sure that the side rail 7 remains in the use position and for example cannot unintentionally be returned to the collapsed position by the person in the bed 1.
When for example a caregiver wants to take care of the person in the bed 1 or get him/her out of bed, the side rail 7 needs to be collapsed.
To achieve this, the middle telescopic rod 11b will be rotated around its axis 20, as shown in figures 5 and 6, until the hinge axis 21 of the associated hinges 12b runs parallel with the rotation axis 22 of the rotation points 10, i.e. until the middle telescopic rod 11b is rotated from the locked position of figure 3 to the free position of figure 5.
Subsequently the side rail 7 can be collapsed by moving the telescopic rod 11b laterally and downward, as shown in figure 7, into the collapsed position in figure 8.
It is important to remark here that during the entire movement, the rotation points 10 and the hinges 12a, 12b, 12c are located on parallel geometric connecting lines 13. It is also important to remark that with the same hand with which the telescopic rod 11b is rotated, the side rail 7 can be collapsed, without having to change the grip of one's hand or use one's other hand.
In one smooth, short and simple movement and with one hand the side rail 7 can be brought from the locked raised use position to the collapsed storage position.
In the collapsed position the telescopic rods 11a, 11b, 11c will lie against or practically against each other.
In this collapsed storage position the side rail 7 will be level with or lower than the mattress base 3 or the mattress on the mattress base 3, such that the side rail 7 is not in the way when taking care of or getting the person in the bed 1 in and out of the bed 1.
To subsequently raise the side rail 7 again to the use position, using one hand the aforementioned handle 14 can be held and the telescopic rod 11a can be moved upward and somewhat laterally to raise the side rail 7.
Please note that the middle telescopic rod 11b does not have to be rotated here, because the rotation elements 19, and therefore the associated hinges 12b are in the free position.
At the moment that the side rail 7 is in the use position, the springs 24 will make sure that the rotation elements 19 are rotated, such that the associated hinges 12b are in the locked position. In this way the side rail 7 will be locked in the use position.
If one wants to use the side rail 7 as an aid to get out of bed, the telescopic rods 11a, 11b, 11c can be retracted in the known way, whereby the telescopic operation moves the aforementioned movable rotation point 10 according to the arrow P in figure 3, such that the side rail 7 gets in the position of figure 9.
The arms 9 come to be closer to each other, such that the side rail 7 becomes smaller.
In this position too, the rotation points 10 and the associated hinges 12a, 12b, 12c of each arm 9 are located on parallel geometric connecting lines 13.
Figures 10 to 12 subsequently indicate how the retracted side rail 7 can be collapsed. This is done in the same way as the extended side rail.
In the example shown in figures 1 to 12, the telescopic sections 15 of the telescopic rods 11a, 11b, 11c can be locked in two positions relative to each other.
It is not excluded that they can be locked in more than two positions relative to each other, this means that the arms 9 can be located at different positions from each other.
Moreover, it is not excluded that in every position of the arms 9, the arms 9 are rotatable between the raised use position and the collapsed storage position.
Figures 13 and 14 show a variant embodiment of a side rail 7 according to the invention, whereby in this case the movable rotation point 10 is not moved in a guide 17.
In this case the movable rotation point 10 is rotatable around a rotation axis 25 of the bed 1.
The rotation axis 25 of the bed 1 is connected with the movable rotation point 10 by means of a lever 26.
In this case, the lever 26 has a fixed length.
By rotating the lever 26, and therefore the movable rotation point 10, and at the same time retracting or extending the telescopic rods 11a, 11b, 11c, the side rail 7 can be brought from the extended condition, as shown in figure 13, to the retracted condition as shown in figure 14 and vice versa, i.e. of the bed rail used as an aid to get out of bed.
For the rest, the operation is analogue to the previously described embodiment.
Figures 15 and 16 show a variant embodiment whereby the movable rotation point 10 is also rotatable around a rotation axis 25 of the bed 1, whereby this rotation axis 25 coincides with the fixed rotation point 10.
The movable rotation point 10 of the associated arm 9 is placed in one of two recesses 27 of an attachment element 28 provided to this end.
By lifting and rotating the side rail 7 around the fixed rotation point 10 and retracting or extending the telescopic rods 11a, 11b, 11c, the movable rotation point 10 can be moved from one recess 28 to the other.
For the rest, the operation is analogue to the previously described embodiments.
The present invention is by no means limited to the embodiments described as an example and shown in the drawings, but a side rail according to the invention and a bed equipped with this can be realised in all kinds of forms and dimensions, without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

Side rail for a bed (1) characterised in that the side rail (7)comprises two arms (9) for the rotatable attachment of the side rail (7) to the bed (1), said arms (9) being provided to this end with a rotation point (10) on one end, whereby the arms (9) are connected to each other by means of at least two telescopic rods (11a, 11b, 11c) which are connected to said arms (9) by means of hinges (12a, 12b, 12c), such that the arms (9) are rotatable between at least a raised use position, whereby the side rail (7) is in use, and a collapsed storage position, whereby the side rail (7) is collapsed, whereby the arms (9) together with their rotation point (10) are movable relative to each other and whereby the side rail (1) in at least two positions of the arms (9) is rotatable between at least the raised use position and the collapsed storage position.
Side rail according to claim 1, characterised in that one rotation point (10) is fixed and the other rotation point (10) is movable relative to the fixed rotation point (10).
Side rail according to claim 2, characterised in that the movable rotation point (10) is slidable in a guide (17).
Side rail according to claim 3, characterised in that the guide (17) runs parallel with the telescopic rods (11a, 11b, 11c).
Side rail according to claim 3 or 4, characterised in that the guide (17) is part of the bed (1) or is provided with attachment means to attach the guide (17) to the bed (1).
Side rail according to claim 2, characterised in that the movable rotation point (10) is rotatable around a rotation axis (25) of the bed (1).
Side rail according to claim 6, characterised in that the rotation axis (25) of the bed (1) is connected with the movable rotation point (10) by means of a lever (26).
Side rail according to claim 7, characterised in that the lever (26) has a fixed length.
Side rail according to claim 6, characterised in that the aforementioned rotation axis (25) of the bed (1) coincides with the fixed rotation point (10).
Side rail according to any one of the previous claims, characterised in that the side rail (1) in every position of the arms (9) is rotatable between at least the raised use position and the collapsed storage position.
Side rail according to any one of the previous claims, characterised in that the side rail (7) or the bed (1) is provided with a cover plate which together with a sideboard (8) of the bed (1) delimits a space between which the side rail (7) is at least partially hidden in the collapsed storage position of the arms (9).
Side rail according to any one of the previous claims, characterised in that it is provided with locking means (18) to lock the side rail (7) at least in the use position.
Side rail according to claim 12, characterised in that the telescopic rods (11a, 11b, 11c) comprise two or more telescopic sections (15), whereby the hinges (15) of the respective telescopic rod (11a, 11b, 11c) are mounted on two of the telescopic parts, whereby the locking means (18) are formed by mounting at least one aforementioned hinge (12a, 12b, 12c) of at least one aforementioned telescopic section (15) on a rotation element (19) which is rotatably mounted on an arm (9) such that said telescopic section (15) along its hinge (12a, 12b, 12c) is rotatable around the longitudinal axis (L) of the telescopic rod (11a, 11b, 11c).
Side rail according to claim 13, characterised in that both hinges (12a, 12b, 12c) of the telescopic rod (11a, 11b, 11c) are mounted on a rotation element (19).
Side rail according to claim 14, characterised in that the telescopic rods (11a, 11b, 11c) do not have a round cross-section.
Side rail according to any one of the previous claims 13 to 15, characterised in that the telescopic section (15) along its hinge (12a, 12b, 12c) is rotatable between at least two positions, respectively a free position whereby the hinge axis (21) of the respective hinge (12a, 12b, 12c) is parallel with the rotation axis (22) of the rotation points (10), such that in this free position the side rail (7) can be raised and collapsed, and a locked position whereby the hinge axis (21) is turned away from this free position.
Side rail according to claim 16, characterised in that the side rail (7) is provided with means (23) to keep the telescopic section (15) with its hinge (12a, 12b, 12c) in the locked position.
Side rail according to claim 17, characterised in that the aforementioned means (23) are formed by a spring (24) between the rotation element (19) and the arm (9).
Side rail according to any one of the previous claims, characterised in that the telescopic rods (11a, 11b, 11c) comprise at least two telescopic sections (15), which fit slidably into each other, whereby the two free ends (16) of the telescopic sections (15) are provided with the aforementioned hinges (12a, 12b, 12c) to be able to hinge the telescopic rods (11a, 11b, 11c) to the arms (9).
Side rail according to claim 19, characterised in that the telescopic sections (15) can be locked relative to each other in at least two positions.
Bed, characterised in that the bed is provided with at least one side rail (7) according to any one of the previous claims.